Roland Grey- Ekilore

Spectacular as the view was, Roland began to slowly adapt to the sight of the land before him, and now beginning to push forward into his foremost thoughts was the question of how long it would actually take for the monks to accept them. He didn’t mind the view by any means, but the thought of standing at the top of the world on little more than a staircase was a bit uncomfortable to him. The feeling eventually passed when the eunuch suddenly proclaimed that the monks would see them now. He saw no sign of the eunuch communicating with anyone, so the suddenness of it all was a tad abnormal. Roland didn’t let it bother him, as he was led with the others through the door, up a staircase, and to the observatory. There in the middle of the room they stood, and right on the outside of them sat the fabled monks of Ekilore.

Many tales have been told about the monks over many years, often evolving from place to place, and changing from era to era. They have existed for as long as the tower has, but even then no precise date of their commencement is known. Some say that the monks were sent by the Council of Nine to watch over the world of Ekilore. Others of the north claim that they are the gods of Ragnell incarnate. There is also debate about the longevity of the monks. Some believe that there were only ever these monks, and that they are more than human, but less than gods, gifted with long-lasting life. Various other stories hint that the monks are in fact human, and that when a monk dies, they are secretly replaced by some furtive means. There are countless other tales told and retold about the monks, but few facts. However, in his studies, Roland has ascertained a few: to be summoned by the monks is considered an immense honor; many find the monks highly respectable, though there are those few who believe them meddlesome; the monks on the very infrequent occasions in history have provided prophecies to those who would hear them, and they have consistently been accurate.

Six monks sat on stone seats encircling the gathered. The seventh monk stood behind, gazing out through the glass of the observatory at Aerion below. He was the only one whose face was unhidden. When he turned, Roland got a good view of him. He had a deep contrast of his face of being both youthful and elderly at the same time, to the point where Roland could not determine his age. Most alarming, however, was his eyes, which bore the color of deep red. The red-eyed monk approached, and spoke to the gathered.

Roland listened silently, trying to focus on the monk’s message even if his eyes kept a good bulk of his attention as well. There was something ominous about them, as if they stared right into Roland’s very soul. Perhaps it was the gods’ way of testing him, and from the sound of it, this would indeed be his ultimate test. And the rewards promised, one in particular caught his fancy. The idea of immortality. The way they said it, it seemed as if they were appealing directly to his own soul's nature. Roland knew he would never get fable of becoming immortal, as these monks may or may not have. Yet immortality has many forms, and the way that one is remembered is part of it. He was intrigued, but Roland’s better judgment still found too many unknowns about this quest. Even if something about this situation called him towards it, he still felt obligated to know more. The whole idea seemed a bit farfetched, after all. An Elf with dark, flowing hair, covering a good portion of her face, including her eyes, seemed to share his sentiments.

"How? How will this orb bring peace?"

Roland crossed his arms and stared at the monks with a certain sense of superiority, before casting his gaze at the red-eyed monk. Even with his oddly colored eyes, Roland made every effort to put off a strong front, neither flinching nor showing signs of discomfort, though secretly, he had to admit he was quite uneasy. “This…Orb of Ardor, as you call it, is an object in which we truly know nothing about. Not that I doubt the wisdom or the knowledge you monks carry, but the entire idea of what you’re talking about seems rather ludicrous. The problems as you have said which exist in Aerion are deep in root, often going back centuries. How can a single object bring us peace? I do not buy into this.”

__________________

A Legend once told me that roleplaying is about bringing people together and celebrating creative vision.
Paired with the ArtsyInfinite and the Spectacular Shak